THE QUEST FOR A NEW BIHAR

AS ELECTION FEVER HEIGHTENS, THE 'INDIA TODAY BIHAR FIRST CONCLAVE' BECAME AN OCCASION FOR STAKEHOLDERS TO LAY OUT THEIR RESPECTIVE VISIONS FOR THE STATE

- BY AMITABH SRIVASTAVA

ON SEPTEMBER 29, HAVING COMPLETED AN AMBITIOUS SPECIAL INTENSIVE REVISION of the state’s electoral rolls and a week before the Election Commission of India announced the dates for an election, Bihar spoke its mind on its aspirations, expectations and the future it would like to see for itself. The occasion was the ‘India Today Bihar First Conclave’, and the venue state capital Patna.

Deputy chief minister Vijay Kumar Sinha delivered the keynote address, pointing to the rapid gains made in education and infrastructure, the tangible advances in women's empowerment and a growth strategy he argued would light Bihar's path forward. Industry minister Nitish Mishra highlighted how investment and enterprise are the engines of prosperity. Sanjay Kumar Jha, national working president of the Janata Dal (United), reiterated Nitish Kumar's pledge to create 10 million jobs within five years.